ess, in any
enterprise, in any institution. Civilization never stands still. The
most dangerous attitude of mind that a man can hold is that of
complacency, that of perfect satisfaction with things as they are. The
good is always a foe to the best.

No, gentlemen, our schools are not "up-to-date in every respect," not
altogether the "finest" in the great Northwest. The Northwest, you
know, is a pretty big place and has some pretty enterprising towns. But
no individual town has, in all respects, the finest schools in the
Northwest, or in any other place. Our schools are, like those of other
cities, just a good strong average. Like every other system, it contains
some good teachers and some not so good; some up-to-date methods of
instruction are being used and some which should be improved; some
features there are to be strongly commended and some, doubtless, that
should be discontinued. And more than this, gentlemen, you have no right
to demand, or expect, from your Superintendent and your Board of
Education. They will be the very first to endorse all that I have
admitted above. Indeed, that they do not hold that exaggerated opinion
is clearly apparent from the fact that they are even now considering
improvements. And may the day never dawn when we shall see no needed
improvements for our public schools! Should such a time come, it would
simply mean that in matters educational our eyes have become dimmed and
that we are rapidly falling behind.

Had the men of this city been "stand-patters" touching the city, Grand
Forks would not be to-day what it is--the surprise and the admiration of
every intelligent visitor. Were you men here to-night, in your civic
relationship, "stand-patters," the promise of the future would be less
bright than it is. During my early connection with Grand Forks I often
wondered as to the secret of its enterprise. I was not long in
discovering, however, that it was found in the spirit of this Commercial
Club; a spirit, it is, of hope, of civic pride, of optimism, yet a
spirit of almost divine discontent. You have all the time been proud of
your city, but yet not satisfied with it; not satisfied, because you saw
visions of a finer city into which yours might grow. Your city was not
up-to-date--to help make it so you needed a street railway system; what
did you do? Worked for it and--got it. Not yet up-to-date? A great
auditorium was needed; you put your hand into your hip-pocket and lo! it
arises